Grapevine Fires
by WritersBlock1800
Summary: I couldn't think of anywhere I would've rather been to watch it all burn away
1. Chapter 1

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A/N So I completely love Justin and Alex. They have some great chemistry. This will be a Jalex - I'm sure your not suprised. It doesn't seem like it right now, but trust me: this story will be extremely graphic. That is why I'm rating it M.

Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me.

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**1:04 pm**

Alex felt her stomach turn as she left her English class. She walked down the school's hall hoping she wouldn't accidentally bump into… _him_. Oh yeah, the last thing she needed was to run into him only so she could stutter with anxiety. Alex couldn't face him right now. She was too confused to talk rationally with him. She couldn't think rationally, anyway.

She didn't know _what _to think.

Alex was happy that it was finally 6 period. It was lunch now so she didn't have to worry about dealing with another class and trying with all her might not to zone out to the point where she wasn't paying attention to her teacher or her classmates. At least now Alex had the opportunity to think without any interruptions.

She walked straight into the girl's bathroom. It was completely empty, thank god. During lunch time the bathrooms are usually always empty so Alex wasn't surprised, she was just thankful.

She went into a stall and sat down on the toilet, holding her book bag tightly against her chest.

And then… she started to cry.

Her sobs were beginning to dangerously echo through the bathroom. She feared that someone might walk in and hear her crying so she buried her face into her book bag.

What was wrong with her? Alex felt so disgusted by herself. She let this happen. If it wasn't for her stupid lack of responsibility and common sense she wouldn't be in this position right now.

Suddenly she heard footsteps in the distance. The bathroom door swung open and Alex stopped crying almost automatically. She slowly took her feet and placed them on top of the toilet, prompting her thighs against her chest.

Alex eyes grew wide when she saw the shadow of someone's figure coming near the stall she was in. Judging by the size of this figure she assumed it wasn't a girl.

_Why would a guy be in the girl's bathroom? _Alex thought to herself.

She looked down and saw the feet of this unknown person. She gasped, the book bag still up to her face. She knew who it was. Only one person wore black converse with neon shoelaces.

"Alex," she heard him call out her name. She felt cornered. How did he know she would be in here? "Alex, come on. I know you're in there."

She took her book bag away from her face. "Go away, I don't want to talk to you right now!" She yelled out, her eyes becoming wet again.

There was silence for a moment.

"I'm not leaving." The tone of his voice made Alex's heart grow weak. It was laced with so much concern and sympathy. "We need to talk about this."

Alex put her hand up to cheeks, wiping away her tears. She didn't want him to know she had been crying. "Can't… we talk after we get home?" She mentally cursed to herself. Her voice was all crackly and breaking.

"You're crying." He said to himself. She saw his feet getting closer to her stall. "Alex, I'm sorry."

Sorry… Alex couldn't take it anymore. She broke down completely.

As she cried violently to herself, he went up to her stall, trying desperately to open the door which was locked.

Alex stopped crying and got up from the toilet. She slowly opened the stall. He backed away from her, his eyes studying her with some type of worry.

"Justin-" She looked at him. Her stomach felt queasy suddenly. Something about seeing his face for the first time since this morning made her feel sick inside. "Justin… What are we going to do?" She asked him in a whisper.

His eyes fell to the floor. "I don't know."

Alex put her hand to her head. She felt dizzy as if someone spun her around for a very long time.

"This is all my fault." Justin's eyes met hers. "I'm sorry, Alex." He was looking at her with so much guilt.

"No, Justin! This isn't your fault." Alex walked up to him and placed a hand on his arm. "It's _my_ fault. I threw that stupid party in the first place."

"But I didn't stop it!" Justin yelled out.

Alex saw that he was holding tears back. His eyes were getting red and he kept swallowing with nervousness. Alex tightened her grip on his arm. He looked her and she gave him a look that said 'I'm not mad at you'.

A tear fell from Justin's eye and he quickly took the back of his hand and wiped it away.

"We're lucky Mom and Dad aren't back yet…" He said under his breath.

"Do we have to tell them… you know…" Alex stopped for a second. She took a deep breath before she continued"…about last night?"

Justin shook his head. "No."

"What about Max?"

Justin's eyes grew wide. "Definitely not Max. He can never know about this."

There was silence again. Justin and Alex looked at each other for a very long time.

Alex honestly wasn't mad at him. She mad at herself. She started to cry again but this time she didn't bother to stop herself. Crying felt good.

Justin placed a hand on her shoulder and he gently squeezed it.

"I'm so sorry, Justin…" Alex sobbed.

"Don't be. It's not your fault."

He than embraced her in a tight, comforting hug. They stayed like that until the bell range.

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**10:35 am **

"Oh, Alex… I wasn't expecting you to be here."

Normally Alex would never go to the guidance counselor for advice but she was desperate. She didn't know what else to do.

"I don't need an appointment, do I?" She was standing near the door.

The guidance counselor shook her head with a smile. "No, no, no. Take a seat my dear."

Alex hesitantly walked over to a big, comfy looking couch that was centered near a window that had it's shades closed. It gave the room a very dark and gloomy effect. She sat down slowly. The counselor's eyes were studying her with this fake interest. It annoyed her and made her feel less than comfortable.

"So… I don't know how to explain this but-"

"Yes?" The counselor raised her eyebrows, putting a hand on her chin.

Alex didn't like this counselor. She was too 'cheerful'. She was a middle aged woman, probably in her late thirties, with blondish hair and a very skinny figure. She wore red rimmed glass with thick lenses, making her green eyes appear bigger than they actually were.

"Don't be afraid to talk," The counselor said with a smile. "everything that is said in this room is purely confidential."

Alex nodded her head. "Right… Well, you see I made a massive mistake yesterday and I-"

"Don't call them mistakes. Everything happens for a reason."

"Well, I did something that I really regret."

"Regrets are just lessons that aren't learned from."

"Okay, whatever. Look, what would you do if you did something insanely disgusting - so disgusting that if anyone were to find out they'd never look at you the same way again?"

The counselor gave Alex a confused face. "Do you think what you did was 'disgusting'?"

"Well of course I-" She broke off. She put her hand up to her chest and sighed roughly. It was disgusting. The whole thing was morally wrong…

So why was she feeling so confused?

"At the time I didn't' think it was disgusting but-"

"But now you _do _find it disgusting, right?"

Alex looked down at her lap. "I guess…" She shook her head. "Honestly I don't know. I don't what to think."

"That's perfectly natural. Sometimes we all feel confused over our own lives."

Alex tried to fake a understanding smile. "Yeah, I guess."

"Do you want to explain to me what happened? It could help, you know, getting your thoughts out completely."

She laughed sarcastically. How could she explain what happened last night? "I don't know. It's really bad."

"I promise I will not tell anyone." The counselor put her hand to her heart.

Alex swallowed hard. She suddenly felt dizzy. "you know what. I suddenly remembered I have this thing that I really need to go to right now." She left her seat, walking backwards towards the door. "I'll come back later - maybe tomorrow during lunch."

"Oh, okay." The counselor looked surprised.

Alex opened the door. "Uh, okay. Bye."

"Good by-"

She shut the door and nervously began walking to her fourth period class.

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**2:45 pm**

It was now after school and Justin was in his car, waiting for Alex. He always gave her a ride home.

He had his hand on his forehead and his elbow resting on the car's armrest. He felt sick inside. He didn't eat breakfast or lunch. The thought of food made his stomach turn.

His cell phone began to ring from inside his pocket. He took it out and saw that it was his Dad calling. He wanted to ignore the call because he didn't know what he would say to him.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

Justin put his phone on top of the dashboard.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

If he answered it what would he say?

Ring. Ring. Ring.

Justin took the phone and flipped it open. But as he was about to hit the answer bottom he was startled by the sound of someone knocking on the car's window.

He looked away from the phone and saw Alex.

His phone stopped ringing (thank god). Justin unlocked the door and she opened it, getting into his car with a tired expression.

He started the engine as Alex was putting her book bag on the ground next to her legs.

He pulled out of the parking lot and starting driving down the street that led to there apartment.

"Dad called?" Alex asked him. Justin looked at her, seeing that she was staring at his phone.

"Uh, yeah." Justin went back to staring at the rode.

"Why didn't you answer his call?"

"I don't know what to say to him."

Alex sighed deeply. "You don't think Max is back do you?" She asked him, changing the subject casually.

Justin shook his head. "I don't think so. He's supposed to be spending the whole weekend at Jason's."

He kept one eye on Alex. She sunk back into her seat, completely unaware that he was staring at her at all. She had her head turned to her window. She looked at the moving traffic while Justin tore his eyes away from her.

"I don't want Mom and Dad to come back…" Alex said under her breathe. Her eyes were now closed.

Justin glanced at his sister. "I don't either…"

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So......? Continue? Don't continue? Tell me what you think. ;)


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me. (Sad face)

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**3:01 pm**

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As they pulled into the apartment's parking structure, Alex finally let her eyes dangerously wonder away from her lap and at Justin's face. He wasn't looking at her. He was solely focused on his driving. She bit her bottom lip, half afraid that their eyes would accidentally meet. She didn't stop staring at him, though.

When Justin parked the car and turned off the engine, for a split second, as he was taking off his seat belt, he looked at Alex. She swallowed hard and her eyes went down to her lap. She waited a few seconds before she looked at him again. When she did he had his head turned away from her, his hand still on the steering wheel.

They left the car a few seconds later. As they were walking into the elevator inside the structure, Alex felt herself grow dizzy again. Justin saw the worried expression on her face and he extended his hand. She glanced it and then at his face before she looked at his hand again and finally realized what he was trying to do.

Alex slowly took his hand.

"I'm sorry, Justin." She couldn't apologize enough.

He shook his head. "Don't be…" He gently squeezed her hand.

Alex wanted to cry again. Part of her hoped that the elevator would get stuck. She didn't want to see their apartment. It was completely trashed. She felt like it was her responsibility to clean it all up. She didn't want Justin to help her. He didn't do anything wrong. There wouldn't be any 'problems' if she hadn't been so irresponsible last night.

Right before the elevator's doors slid open, Justin quickly embraced Alex in a hug.

The doors open and Alex let go of him. She walked down the apartment's hall while he followed her a few feet away. Alex stood in front of their door and Justin finally caught up to her. He went into his pocket, found the house key, and stuck it into the key hole. He slowly opened the door and they both stepped into their apartment.

Alex kicked a few cans of alcohol out of her way and she found the couch, dropping her book bag on it. Justin tried to clean up the living room by picking up the scattered garbage that almost completely covered the carpet.

"How are we going to have this place cleaned by tonight?" Alex asked Justin as he was walking into the kitchen.

"We'll find a way," He replied, opening a cabinet.

Alex reached into her pocket. There really was only one way she could think of cleaning the whole entire apartment quickly and sufficiently. "Justin," Alex walked into the kitchen, "maybe we should just use magic." She pulled her wand out slowly.

Justin eyes grew wide. He almost dropped the roll of garbage bags out of his hand. "Alex, no!" He ran up to her, taking the wand out of her hand. "Do you not remember what Mom and Dad told us?"

Alex rolled her eyes. "Of course I remember," she said under her breath.

"… Then you're aware that we can not, under any circumstances, use magic?" Justin's tone softened.

"Yes… It's just that," Alex let out a frustrated sigh, "magic would be so much faster."

"I know it would be." Justin gave her the wand back. She stuck it back into her pocket. "But we just can't."

Alex nodded her head. "I know… sorry."

Justin gave her a small smile. "It's alright." He then pulled off a sheet of garbage bags and extended them towards Alex. "Here. I'll do the downstairs and you'll do the upstairs."

Alex took the garbage bags. "You shouldn't have to clean at all, Justin."

He gave her a confused look. "What do you mean?"

Alex looked around the house. "If I listened to you when you said-"

Justin put a finger up to his mouth. "Alex. Stop it."

Her eyes fell down to the floor.

"I don't care about last night. Right now, I just want to clean this place up before Mom and Dad get back. That's all I'm worried about."

"But I-"

"This isn't your fault," He said slowly. "Now let's just drop the subject."

"I can't." Alex voice was breaking. "I just feel so bad."

"If anyone should feel bad right now it's me." The tone of Justin's voice was indescribable. Alex looked into his eyes and saw something she never saw before:

Guilt.

He wasn't even looking at her. He was facing her but his eyes were somewhere else - somewhere off into the distance.

Alex didn't know what to say to him so she grew silent.

"… you should go upstairs…" The pained look on Justin's face washed away almost instantly when he glanced at his watch. "We only have a few hours."

Alex nodded her head and slowly turned away from him. She walked up the staircase and went down the hall until she came to her bedroom door. Walking into her room, she ripped off one garbage bag, throwing the others on top of her bed.

Alex tried to clean but being in her room was painful. This was where… it happened. She couldn't even remember what happened. The whole night was a complete blur to her.

How could something so traumatizing happen to her and yet she couldn't even remember it?

The room was beginning to spin. Alex grabbed her chest, feeling her heart beat quicken from anxiety. All could remember was starting the party, arguing with Justin, and that faithful moment when someone came into the apartment with _drinks_. At the time she wasn't thinking. She only wanted to have fun, let lose, have a grand old time. She didn't think anything bad would happen.

But she was wrong. She was _so_ wrong.

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_**8:25 pm -**__** Sunday  
**_

"What in the world are you doing?!

Alex rolled her eyes at her stupid brother. He could be such a stickler. "Oh, Justin. Lighten up, will you?" She calmly walked through the crowd that surrounded her. Justin followed her into the kitchen, watching as she poured herself a glass of wine. She smiled at him teasingly, knowing that this would piss him off.

"Since when did you start drinking?" He asked her angrily.

Alex took the glass away from her lips. "Since now," she replied casually.

Justin folded his arms across his chest. "You're crossing the line."

Alex smirked at him. "I know." She walked past him. "Join me, won't you?"

Justin walked into the living room with her. "I will not join you."

Alex turned to him. She laughed in his face. "You are so pathetic, sometimes."

Justin rolled his eyes at her.

"Mom and Dad are gone, Max is gone, nobody is here except for _you_ and_ me_-" She stopped for a second, taking another sip of her drink. "This is the perfect opportunity for you to finally do something you've never done before."

"And what would that be?" He asked her sarcastically.

Alex put the drink up to his face. "Let lose!" She replied. "You're suppose to be having fun right now."

Justin pushed the drink from his face. "This isn't fun, Alex! This is completely insane."

"Exactly. See, you completely proved my point," Alex smiled. "Fun isn't suppose to be sane."

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**4:06 pm**

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Justin was relieved when he finished cleaning the living room. The place was finally beginning to look normal again. All he would have to do next is take out the trash and vacuum.

He walked up the staircase, seeing Alex's door half open. He faintly heard sobs coming from inside the room. Justin walked up to his sister's door and gently knocked on it but there was no answer. He waited a few seconds before he gradually stuck his head into her room. He saw her sitting on the edge of her bed, her back turned to him.

Justin entered her room quietly and walked over to her. She was still sobbing and it seemed as though she was completely unaware of his presence. He sat next to her and she jumped.

"I'm sorry, I'm suppose to be cleaning," Alex apologized quickly, wiping the tears from her face. "I'll start now, I promise."

She was about to get up but Justin stopped her by grabbing her arm. "It's alright."

Alex shook her head. "No, it's not alright. I'm making you do everything." She tried to get up again but Justin pulled her back down.

"Alex." He loosened his grip on her arm. "I'm not upset. You really don't need-"

"Let go of me." Alex yanked his hand away, starting towards the door - but Justin was faster than her. He grabbed her shoulders and spun her around, making her face him.

Alex started to cry again. "Why aren't you mad at me?!" She exclaimed.

"Because!" Justin inched his face closer to her. "Because I love you and I care about you."

Alex didn't say anything.

"Alex…" He took his hand and touched her face. "Alex, look at me."

There eyes finally met.

"Stop blaming yourself."

"Justin, you know this is all my fault!"

"No it isn't-"

"Yes it is. If I didn't start that party I wouldn't have gotten drunk and you wouldn't have either! And don't say you didn't try to stop me because you did."

Justin fell silent. Really, this wasn't true. It was far from true. So, so very far from true. But he couldn't tell her what really happened last night - at least not yet.

"Justin, can I ask you something?" Alex stopped crying.

"Uh, yeah. What?"

"Do you remember anything… at all?"

Justin swallowed hard.

He couldn't tell her the truth yet. He wanted to but something inside him was telling him not to.

"No, I… don't."

Alex sighed. "I don't either."

Alex unexpectedly hugged him and after a few seconds he wrapped his arms around her and patted her gently on the back.

The time would come, though, where he would have to tell her the truth and he knew that she would never want to talk to him again after that.

He bit his tongue, letting himself cry from the massive amount of guilt he couldn't shake away.

He was going to lose her. It was only a matter of time…

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**Yep, so... yeah. You know, review if you have the time. ;) Feedback is the shizzle. **


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